drains

Damaged drains can be a major source of worry and disruption and can cost you large amounts of money. There are also possible health risks, with the danger of bacteria building up and being transmitted. That is why it is vital to deal with any issues as soon as you become aware of them. But how does one know when such a problem has arisen? The guide below should help give you some indicators as to when it’s time to bring in the experts for professional drainage services. read more →

Strategies for Preventing Blocked Drains

Whether in the street or at home, a blocked drain can be an annoyance. Image by Liz Boynton (via Shutterstock).

The easiest and simplest way to prevent blocked drains is by taking care of what you deposit in the drain channels. Stuff like grease, hair, coffee grounds and soap scum are detrimental to the drains and should be avoided. First, cooking grease and coffee ground deposits should be discarded in the garbage trash and not washed down the sink. Secondly, use a sieve or drain screen to cover the mouth of the drain so as to avoid hair, soap scum, and other materials from getting in. read more →

A selection of strange things that have been seen in drains

Clean drains are next to godliness. One with a fatberg or a can of lager is the spawn of Satan. Image by Urbazon (via Shutterstock).

In a previous post, we looked at fatbergs. This was in relation to how they blocked our sewers. We said how it was a big problem in our part of the world. Shortly after our piece, we found out about the unusual things that have been seen in drains. This time, the Northumberland Gazette’s latest article has inspired our post.

Here’s a look at the six strangest things to have been seen in our drains.

A selection of unusual and ornate manhole covers from around the world

Unless you fall in one, or work in our industry, manhole covers are something we take for granted. We think of them as serving a purpose, and that many of them look pretty similar. The latter point is further than the truth. Over the last 200 years, there has been numerous designs, especially up to the mid-20th century. Some companies, like John Needham and Son in Stockport, became nationwide players till their foundry closed in 1979.

How Anglian Water’s Draincare partnership will be using floating drones for Grimsby’s sewers

“I don’t care whose it is, It’s floating!” In this case we should. What is there not to like about the use of floating drones to inspect our sewers? Apart from an innovative way of identifying problems, fewer road closures and temporary traffic lights are priceless. Image by NH (via Shutterstock).

Ever been annoyed each time you see a set of temporary traffic lights? On some occasions they could be working on the drains. This job usually requires a degree of manpower and inspecting the sewers could be an arduous and smelly one. In Grimsby, Anglian Water’s Draincare have got a marvellous plan up their sleeve: floating drones.

There are a number of factors that lead to blocked drains London wide. London is a densely populated city and with that many people in one area there are bound to be systems that cannot cope with the volume of usage. The drainage system is, on occasion, one of them. Each season brings a different problem that can lead to blocked drains in London. There are, however, precautions and steps that you can take to prevent the inconvenience that blocked drains can bring.

In the spring and summer, people are making use of the warmer weather whenever it’s not raining, and spending a lot more time outside. This can lead to an increase in litter such as food wrappings which can easily get stuck in drains and cause a backup. In the warmer seasons people also need to carry out a lot more garden work and mow the lawn more frequently. Despite garden waste bins often being provided, many people believe that garden waste will break down quickly and don’t dispose of their waste responsibly, but a built up of grass and weeds in gutters and drains can easily lead to a blockage. You can prevent blocked drains in London by ensuring that you are disposing of your rubbish and garden waste effectively.

In the colder seasons of autumn and winter the buildup of leaves is an inevitable problem. Gutters can become clogged with leaves and the weight of rain will just force them down the drain. When the temperature drops the ice and frost can make these leaves practically solid. By clearing your guttering regularly you can prevent this inconvenience in the colder weather.

Since the smoking ban, the buildup of cigarette butts has become a problem all year around, causing difficulties and blocked drains London wide. By ensuring anyone in your household doesn’t casually discard their used cigarettes you can contribute to stopping the problem, and requesting that any of the local businesses such as pubs or restaurants provide an easy way of customers to dispose of their cigarette butts.

Blocked drains can be an inconvenience but by taking some small steps you can prevent problems no matter what time of year it is preventing a potentially costly drain unblocking service in London.